Spokane Police news release on stabbing several blocks north and east of campus
Stabbing Victim Dies of her Injuries; SPD Searching for Suspect in this Random Attack
The woman attacked this morning while walking her dog in North Spokane has died as a result of the stab wounds she sustained. Spokane Police have flooded the area with resources to investigate this incident and ensure public safety. Detectives have detained a man matching the suspect description given by witnesses and are working to determine if this individual is responsible for the attack. The motive of this incident has not been established, however detectives believe this was a random attack.
Details: At 8:11 this morning a 55 year old woman was walking her dog, alone on a walking trail near the area of 1800 E. South Riverton. According to the victim’s description of the incident, a man jumped out of the bushes, stabbed her several times and fled. The victim screamed for help and made her way up the street where a nearby construction worker heard her cries, rushed over, administered as much first aid as he could and called 9-1-1. Medics arrived moments later and transported the victim to an emergency trauma center where she died of her injuries. The victim’s dog was unharmed in the incident.
Immediately after the emergency call, Spokane Police brought in additional resources to the area, including additional officers and a canine unit in an attempt to locate the suspect. Additionally, SPD alerted nearby Cooper Elementary School of the potential danger and worked with school officials to ensure the safety of the children and staff.
Spokane Police Detectives have developed a suspect description based on details obtained from the victim as well as interviews with those living near the area of the attack. The suspected attacker is described as a black male in his early to mid 30s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Neighbors say they had seen a man matching this description in the area recently. Spokane Police detectives have detained a person matching this description but are still investigating to determine if this is the suspect.
This incident is especially concerning due to the brazen and random nature of the attack in broad daylight and Spokane Police are dedicating a vast amount of resources to ensure the safety of citizens and to apprehend the person responsible for this attack.